Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony, members of the ESA, & all video game developers: Be more inclusive and aware of LGBT people and issues when creating games.

Video games are an important medium next to books and movies, however a lot of video games lack LGBT characters or themes. LGBT youth need characters they can look up to and admire. They need to know they are not alone. Having LGBT characters in video games would be a good thing and it could even save lives.

Companies should avoid doing things that exclude LGBT people. Let's take Fire Emblem: Awakening, for example. It has a system where you can work with other characters in the game and eventually marry those characters. It gives you bonuses in the game and allows you to have kids with the character who you marry. If you wanted to play your character as a gay character, you can't. You can't marry characters of the same gender. Your characters can't even adopt a kid or even take an apprentice to earn those same types of bonuses. No, the only way to get these bonuses and characters is to have your character enter into a heterosexual marriage with another character.

This isn't the type of message to send to kids and teens. Many them do question themselves and they need to know that being gay is okay. Video games are so important in the lives of modern kids and teens and video games need to approach the issue in a way that is fair to all genders and sexualities. Especially in a game where relationships between characters are so important.

Games do need to also approach transgender characters in a better way. So far none of them are shown in a good light. And having transgender characters as joke characters is plain insulting.

Video games should include more LGBT characters and should do so in a way that isn't offensive. There are plenty of LGBT gamers and they are no different than non-LGBT gamers. All gamers should be treated equally and have the opportunity to see characters that they can relate to and look up to in games.

Letter to

Jack Tretton, CEO of SCEASony

The ESAEntertainment Software Association

Reggie Fils-Aime, COO of Nintendo of AmericaNintendo of America

and 1 other

Microsoft

Be more inclusive and aware of LGBT people and issues when creating games.

Video games are an important medium next to books and movies, however a lot of video games lack LGBT characters or themes. LGBT youth need characters they can look up to and admire. They need to know they are not alone. Having LGBT characters in video games would be a good thing and it could even save lives.

Companies should avoid doing things that exclude LGBT people. Let's take Fire Emblem: Awakening, for example. It has a system where you can work with other characters in the game and eventually marry those characters. It gives you bonuses in the game and allows you to have kids with the character who you marry. If you wanted to play your character as a gay character, you can't. You can't marry characters of the same gender. Your characters can't even adopt a kid or even take an apprentice to earn those same types of bonuses. No, the only way to get these bonuses and characters is to have your character enter into a heterosexual marriage with another character.

This isn't the type of message to send to kids and teens. Many them do question themselves and they need to know that being gay is okay. Video games are so important in the lives of modern kids and teens and video games need to approach the issue in a way that is fair to all genders and sexualities. Especially in a game where relationships between characters are so important.

Games do need to also approach transgender characters in a better way. So far none of them are shown in a good light. And having transgender characters as joke characters is plain insulting.

Video games should include more LGBT characters and should do so in a way that isn't offensive. There are plenty of LGBT gamers and they are no different than non-LGBT gamers. All gamers should be treated equally and have the opportunity to see characters that they can relate to and look up to in games.